Liaison May 2006 Reports

Law Student Division

Liaison May 2006 Reports

Divisions
General Practice Solo and Small Firm Practice Alan A. Fowler Mercer University School of Law (Macon, GA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended GPSolo's Spring Meeting. Specifically, I attended the Membership Committee meeting, where I actively engaged in the review of existing membership programs and campaigns and the brainstorming for future programs and campaigns. I attended a meeting for the Law Trends e-newsletter, pursuant to my role as Law Student Editor. Finally, I attended GPSolo's Council Meeting, where I gave an oral report.
Government and Public Sector Lawyers Richard J. Washington St. John's School of Law (Brooklyn, NY)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Since my last report, I have not attended any additional meetings. I did, however, attend the entity meeting in New Mexico. ISSUES: The entity solicited my input with regard to increasing law student membership. PROJECTS: I plan to assist the incoming GPSLD Law Student Liaison with any questions that may arise in the upcoming year.
Judicial Division Jason J. Redd Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School (Provo, UT)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I have not attended any meetings since my March Report. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have not attended any meetings with the Judicial Division since my March report. ISSUES: Right now the division is seeking input on from the other members of the Judicial Council on some co-sponsoring opportunities. We are also in the process of reviewing the legislation that will be push forward at the Annual Meeting. PROJECTS: The judicial clerkship program went very well. The members of the committee were very impressed with the participation and the turnout at Mid-Year.
Senior Lawyers Karen L. Anslinger William and Mary School of Law (Williamsburg, VA)
	I was unable to attend the Spring Meeting of the Senior Lawyers’ Division (SLD) as their Student Liaison from the Law Student Division (LSD) of the American Bar Association. Accordingly, I was provided with the minutes from the council meetings. At the Council Meeting, the Liaison from the SLD to the Law Student Division made three different requests of the SLD. First it was suggested that the SLD continue its participation in the “Coffee with Experience” sessions – the next one to be held in Hawaii. It was further recommended that the SLD should recruit other lawyers to assist in the sessions throughout the year and then provide this list of names to the LSD so those planning fall roundtables, etc. can contact senior lawyers in their areas. The SLD moved to recruit lawyers for this purpose. Additionally, it was requested that the SLD consider providing speakers for various panel discussions at LSD meetings. This is something I have also mentioned to them on several occasions. The SLD tabled discussion on this matter until further information could be provided to the Executive Committee. Finally, the the possibility of senior lawyers serving as mentors for law students was addressed. While it would be difficult for the SLD to work with individual law schools for this purpose, the SLD agreed to work with the LSD to find ways of providing mentor relationships. The SLD moved for the SLD Legal Education and Mentoring Committee to work with Mr. Foonberg and the LSD to develop a program for senior lawyers to mentor law students without additional burden or expense to the divisions.
Sections

Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Luke W. Reynolds Loyola Law School-Los Angeles (Pasadena, CA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: ABA Annual Meeting (2005-Chicago), attended Council Meeting -Admin Law Conference (2005-Washington, DC), attended Council Meeting -ABA Mid-Year Meeting (2006-Chicago), attended Council Meeting DIVISION MEETINGS: I made a presentation on Admin Law at the 9th Circuit Conference at Loyola in late 2005. ISSUES: No issues have come forward (other than the writing contest) that require Law Student Division input. PROJECTS: During my tenure, I designed a flyer, and created a database of administrative law professors to send the flyer to, for the Section's Law Student Writing Competition. I emailed out the flyer and did some additional follow-up with selected professors. In addition, I wrote an article that was published in the Student Lawyer in March on Administrative Law. OTHER ACTIVITIES: I have struggled to find ways to raise law students' awareness about what Administrative Law is. I think the writing contest was a good outreach tool, and hopefully it will be done again. A session on career options in administrative law would be good for a future annual conference.
Antitrust Law Nivine Zakhari University of Houston Law Center (Houston, TX)

Business Law Elizabeth Polizzi St. John's University School of Law (Jamaica, NY)

Criminal Justice Brice Aikens Florida State University School of Law (Tallahassee, FL)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: 2005 ABA Annual Meeting and 2005 Fall Council Meeting. I sat on the council, drafted proposals and voted on agenda items of the section. DIVISION MEETINGS: Prosecution Function meeting and particiapted in discussion. PROJECTS: Recently completed a proposal where the section would create a "travel scholarship/stipend" for law student CJ liaisons.
CJ-Corrections and Sentencing Committee Eric Roche Byrd Gonzoga University School of Law (Spokane, WA)

CJ-Defense Function/Services Committee Samantha A. Lee Oklahoma City University School of Law (Oklahoma City, OK)

CJ-International Crime Natalie Johanna Roetzel Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (Dallas, TX)

CJ-Juvenile Justice Committee Pamela Saperstein Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Yeshiva University (Bayside, NY)

CJ-Prosecution Function Shannon A. Lang University of Viginia School of Law (Charlotteville, VA)

CJ-Rules of Criminal Procedure and Evidence Ryan McLeod Duke University School of Law (Chapel Hill, NC)

CJ-Victims Erin E. Cecil-Levine Willamette University College of Law (Salem, OR)

CJ-White Collar Crimes Erin Leigh Waddell Southern University Law Center (Baton Rouge, LA)
	PROJECTS: I worked closely with the ABA Representative and the SBA president in order to procure speakers that were defense attorneys, some dealing directly with issues involving white collar crime.
Dispute Resolution Kendra L. Mosley University of Tulsa College of Law (Tulsa, OK)

Environment Energy and Resources Law Marlyn T. Aguilar University of Hawaii at William S. Richardson (Honolulu, HI)

Family Law Melissa A. Kucinski Pace University School of Law (White Plains, NY)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I have attended all FLS meeting since my appointment, to date. That includes the following: Annual meeting in Chicago (August 2005), Fall meeting in San Diego (September 2005), and Spring meeting in D.C. (May 2006). The FLS will hold a council meeting in Hawaii (August 2006), but I will be unable to attend. Actually, only about five of the total twenty-five member council will be attending. ISSUES: In San Diego in September of 2005, the primary law student issue related to getting more law students involved and the proposal for a law student mentor program. In D.C. in May 2006, the primary issue was a report conducted by Hofstra Law School advocating the overhaul of family law curriculum in law schools. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have not attended any Division meetings. I did attend the liaison training in Chicago in August 2005. ISSUES: A primary membership challenge for the family law section regarding students is that once law students graduate, they do not pay the higher dues to remain active in our section. PROJECTS: A re-vamping of the law student listserve for our section has been completed.
Health Law Leah Voigt Romano Loyola Law School-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: -- 2005 Annual Meeting - attended (1) concurrent sessions sponsored by Health Law Section; and (2) the Section's half-day Council meeting -- Washington Healthcare Summit, October 2005 - attended plenary & concurrent sessions; speaker lunch; and the Section's half-day Council meeting -- Emerging Issues in Healthcare Conference, February 2006 - attended plenary & concurrent sessions; interest group luncheon; and the Section's half-day Council meeting ENTITY MEETINGS: 2005 Annual Meeting - attended Student Division-sponsored sessions (e.g., coffee w/ experience) ISSUES: Membership is always an issue on the Council's agenda. The Health Section is small - compared with other ABA entities - and continually looks for ways to increase membership, as well as ways to co-sponsor events and activities with other entities. This year, I worked with the student member of the Section's membership committee to design new ways to involve law students with the Section (see projects below). PROJECTS: This spring, I worked with the Section's web page manager to redesign the student section, consistent with ABA-wide format changes. I reorganized the format and updated many of the links. With the input of the Section administrator, I created a new "Hot Topics" column of the page which will feature bi-monthly summaries of articles in the most recent issue of the Section's publication, the Health Lawyer. We are opening up future "Hot Topics" columns to interested student contributors. We sent an email to all student members, advertising the updated student page and "calling" for contributors - and the response has been excellent! I have already slotted student writers through next summer. I also helped develop writing guidelines and an editorial calendar, which the next liaison will take on as part of her duties to the Section. I think this will be a great way for the liaison to get involved with the Section and, at the same time, to connect with students interested in the practice and Section leadership. Because we have had such positive response from students, I will discuss with the new liaison other ways student members can write and/or contribute to Section publications. For instance, the Section also has a monthly e-newsletter, and we may be able to carve out a place for future student contributions there as well. To see the updated page and "Hot Topics" section, visit http://www.abanet.org/health/06_membership/03_law_students.html
Individual Rights and Responsibilities Tiffany R. Paige Mississippi College School of Law (Jackson, MS)

Individual Rights and Responsibilities -- AIDS Coordinating Committee Rachel Witman University of Denver School of Law (Denver, CO)

Intellectual Property Christopher A. Bullard Washington and Lee University School of Law (Lexington, VA)

International Law J. Alex Little Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, DC)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Spring Meeting, participated in Council Meeting ISSUES: None at this time.
Labor and Employment Law Robert Sean Deskins Louis D. Brandeis School of Law University of Louisville (Louisville, KY)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. At the Annual Meeting, I went to several Section events and CLE programs as well as the Section's Council meeting. Next, I went to the Section's Fall and Spring Council meetings in St. Louis, MO and Santa Fe, NM, respectively. At these meetings, I reported on my activities as liaison and proposals that I had worked on with the Section's Outreach to Law Students Task Force. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended Division programs at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. Also, I went to a regional roundup in Tampa, FL. At the regional roundup, I spoke about the benefits and opportunities available to law students who are active in the Section for Labor & Employment Law. ISSUES: The Section is debating on whether to reduce its presence at the ABA Annual Meeting and to hold a separate CLE conference focusing on labor & employment law. Proponents of this plan believe that it will give the Section the flexibility that it needs to provide quality programs. Opponents fear that it will reduce the Section's connection with the ABA. The current Section co-chair, who will be chair next year, will make a decision on whether to hold the stand-alone meeting sometime before the Fall Council meeting. I did not take a position on this issue because it is highly controversial. I believe that a stand-alone meeting could cause fewer law students to attend Section programs because most law students would not be able to afford to attend a meeting that is not held during the ABA Annual Meeting. However, I do not believe that a large number of law students attend Section programs during the Annual Meeting because most of the Section's programs are held after the Law Student Division's activities end. PROJECTS: Throughout the year I have been working on a pilot program that I proposed in the fall. The pilot program places law student liaisons to 3 of the Section's standing committees. The role of these students is similar to that of a Section liaison but they just focus on their committee. The Section voted in our Spring Council meeting to extend the pilot program for another year. Also, the Section decided to pay up to $1,000 per liaison to help liaisons attend their committees' midwinter meetings (these are held in expensive locations like Mexico, Southern California, Florida, or the Caribbean). OTHER ACTIVITIES: The Section's Outreach to Law Students Task Force wants to increase the number of schools that participate in the Section's outreach program, in which Section members come to law schools and discuss careers in labor and employment law. In order to increase participation, the Section will contact career services officers at all law schools in addition to contacting the ABA Representatives.
Law Practice Management Jeffrey Feit Pace University School of Law (Bronx, NY)

Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar Sara Jane H. Ibrahim American University Washington College of Law (Washington, DC)

Litigation Keishunna Randall University of Mississippi School of Law (Oxford, MS)

Public Contract Law Stephanie Magers California Western School of Law (San Diego, CA)

Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law Alicia Matricardi Southwestern University School of Law (Los Angeles, CA)

Real Property Probate and Trust Law - Probate and Trust Division Dedra Shiree Sibley Florida A & M College of Law (Rockledge, FL)

Real Property Property Probate and Trust Law - Real Property Division Christopher Nixon Appalachian School of Law (Grundy, VA)

Science and Technology Shiv Naimpally Oklahoma City Unviersity School of Law (Plano, TX)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Attended the mid-year meeting in Chicago in Feb 2006. Attended the leadership meeting and voted on various resolutions and items brought up at the meeting. Have not attended an LSD meeting since being appointed. PROJECTS: I am continuing my work writing a "Profile" column for the Section's magazine, "SciTech Lawyer", published every quarter. To date, the Profiles have been of Section members who are part of the Section's leadership. OTHER ACTIVITIES: The Section has asked me to put together a brochure informing students about careers in Science and Technology, based on the information I have gathered in writing the profiles for SciTech Lawyer. The brochure will discuss the types of legal careers available in Science and Technology, the qualifications needed, possible career paths, etc. I hope to have a rough draft available for review at the Annual Meeting.
State and Local Government Dorothy Yee Loyola Law School-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended the Spring Meeting of the Section from March 31 - April 2, 2006 in San Diego, California. I attended the CLE events, Hot Topics, and the Council meeting. DIVISION MEETINGS: I haven't attened any Division meetings since my March report. ISSUES: The Section is considering offering free ABA and Section members to student board members of the Urban Lawyer, the Section's law journal publication based out of the University of Missouri--Kansas City. The Section is also interested in getting more Young Lawyers Division members involved in the section and they are considering proposals to make membership complimentary for some YLD members. PROJECTS: I am serving as a member of the Section's Special Committee on Diversity, a committee that was recently formed to review the ABA report on racial and ethnic diversity in the legal profession. The committee is studying ideas to make specific, concrete recommendations based on this report that are relevant for the needs of our section. OTHER ACTIVITIES: There were at least a half dozen law students from the San Diego law schools that attended the Spring Section meeting. At the Environmental Law Hot Topic section, 3 students from the University of San Diego presented environmental law papers selected by the Section Chair of the Environmental Law Committee, who is also a Professor at USD.
Taxation Daniel J. Berry Appalachian School of Law (Grundy, VA)

Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TTIPS) Parrish Lentz Stetson University College of Law (S. Pasadena, FL)

Forum Committees
Affordable Housing and Community Development Diane Standaert University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC )

Air and Space Industry Valerie Walker Loyola University Law School (Chicago, IL)

Communications Industry Julia Springsteen New England School of Law (Rye, NH)

Construction Industry Seneca Jacobs University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law (Little Rock , AR)

Entertainment and Sports Industry Deanna Rusch Gonzaga University School of Law (Spokane , WA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Forum Annual Meeting in NY - October 2005: led student programs and acted as liaison between students and attorneys in attendance DIVISION MEETINGS:None have worked with my schedule. PROJECTS: PR for the Forum's annual meeting this year in Los Angeles
Standing Committees
Armed Forces Law Christopher A. George Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law (Macon, GA)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended the Standing Committee on Armed Forces Law meeting at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Chicago. I presented my report on student division activity. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended the liaison conference at the ABA Midyear Meeting and reported on SCAFL activity of interest to the division. ISSUES: The Solomon Amendment litigation was of great interest to SCAFL. At the liaison conference several other division members expressed interest in the issue. MIDYEAR: The Midyear Meeting was a great opportunity to serve my entity and the division. I met many lawyers in my field.
Bar Activities and Services Andrea C. Willingham Southern University Law Center (Walker, LA)

Election Law Nicole M. Barrett Creighton University School of Law (Omaha, NE)

Judicial Independence Christina Liu University of Miami School of Law (Miami, FL)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I was taking an exam as the same time as the SCJI's spring meeting in DC, so I instead sent them a report of outreach and communications efforts that I had partaken in. DIVISION MEETINGS: Nothing since the ABA Midyear meeting. ISSUES: There are diversity programs for judicial clerkships which will help law students obtain clerkships. Those are by law school - for who decides to commit to the program or not. OTHER ACTIVITIES: Put on a number of Powerpoint presentations for local law schools on judicial independence.
Law and National Security John Michael Isom Georgetown University Law Center (Fort Belvoir, VA)

Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants Vacant

Legal Assistance for Military Personnel Stephen Charles Lessard Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, DC)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended Committee meetings in Raleigh, NC on November 18, 2005 and in Camp Pendelton, CA on March 17, 2006. I submitted reports to the Committee and solicited their input on ways to include law students in furthering the Committee's goal of providing legal assistance to military personnel. DIVISION MEETINGS: I attended the Liaison Caucus at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Chicago and reported on proposals to involve law students in LAMP Committee activities. I also attended the 11th Circuit Spring Meeting in Washington DC and discussed possible roles for law students in assisting the provision of legal assistance to military personnel. ISSUES: The LAMP Committee is interested in involving law students in the provision of legal assistance to military personnel through the proposed LSD Pro Bono Network and clinical programs offered at law schools. The Committee is also interested in finding law students to serve as Research Assistants for a judicial benchbook the Committee is writing. PROJECTS: 1) To produce a model program for the LSD Pro Bono Network that is oriented around the provision of legal assistance to military personnel. 2) To draft a resolution from the LSD calling on Deans of ABA Law Schools to encourage faculty, students, and clinical programs to assist in providing legal assistance to military personnel. 3) To form a network of military law student groups at law schools who can provide a pool of available reserach assistants for military lawyers and civilian attorneys providing pro bono legal assiatnce to military personnel. OTHER ACTIVITIES: I will be attending a LAMP Committee meeting in July 2006 at Newport, RI.
Public Education Ritchie Eppink University of Idaho College of Law (Moscow, ID)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended all entity meetings. The Standing Committee on Public Education meets twice a year, in the Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer. As LSD liaison to the Committee for two bar years, now, my most recent entity meeting was my fourth; I have been very active at all meetings, interacting with all Committee and staff members and speaking during plenary and small-group sessions about the importance of including law students in the Committee's and Division for Public Education's work. For instance, at the most recent meeting I discussed with the Division for Public Education's director the transition between myself and the next LSD liaison and suggested during the Committee's business meeting expressly including law students in a resolution that had been circulated to the Committee (see below). DIVISION MEETINGS: Since my last (March) report, there have been no LSD meetings and I have not attended any. Although the last LSD meeting I attended was the LSD gathering at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago last August, I have made a point of getting Division for Public Education materials to relevant LSD meetings (my regional LSD roundtable, the LSD meeting at Midyear, and my circuit's spring meeting). ISSUES: ABA Policy on Civic Learning. A resolution, originally drafted by the ABA Commission on Civic Education, was circulated to the Committee for comment. The Committee suggested minor revisions. The resolution, as drafted, is addressed to "all lawyers and judges." I suggested revising the resolution so that it also addressed law student; although many Committee members supported the change, some members resisted it and I ultimately withdrew my proposal from consideration. I have a copy of the resolution available, if LSD governance is interested in its text. Email me at ritchie@abanet.org. PROJECTS: I am wrapping up my projects as liaison and repurposing them for my new work as Vice-Chair of the YLD Public Education Committee. My remaining liaison task is voice law student interests to the Committee's Constitution Day subcommittee over this summer. The Division for Public Education is planning comprehensive programming for Constitution Day (September 18, 2006), and I hope to ensure that law students are included in that programming.
Commissions and Other Organizations
ALI-ABA Committee on Continuing Professional Education Genevieve Whitaker Stetson University College of Law (Tampa, FL)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I attended the ALI-ABA Board meeting which brought together members of the board which included the Executive Director,lawyers, law professors, staff and representatives from the American Law Institute. I was able to give input on how to reach out to students. I also discussed with the board members how law students can become more involved and how they can take advantage of course offerings. PROJECTS: Currently, I have been working with their Courses of Study Director to give my input on additional courses that may be of interest to students.
CEELI Christy Ann Fisher Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, DC)

Coordinating Council for the Center of Professional Responsibility Teddi Maranzano Pace University School of Law (Wappingers Falls, NY)

Domestic Violence Laura C. Hall Northern Illinois University College of Law (Dekalb, IL)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Since the March report, I attended the CDV Spring Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. I volunteered to be one of the reviewers of the submissions for the writing competition. I also am a member of the Website Committee. DIVISION MEETINGS: Since the last report, there have been no division meetings. ISSUES: Currently, the Commission on Domestic Violence is presenting a program on Teen Dating Violence and the Faith Based Response at the Annual Meeting in Honolulu. Furthermore, the Commission on Domestic Violence is proposing a policy on dating violence and would like for the Law Student Division to be a possible co-sponsore for this policy. PROJECTS: I am one of the reviewers of the essays submitted for the Commission's annual writing competition. This year we received 35 submissions, our highest number yet! Also, the e-newsletter that the Commission began to circulate in October has been quite successful.
Lawyer Assistance Programs Alfred W. Baker, Jr. South Texas College of Law (Houston, TX)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: Attended the COLAP Business meeting in Greensboro North Carolina on May 2-4, 2006. I took the minutes for the entire business meeting and participated in the 19th National Planning Conference and the Law School Assistance Committee. DIVISION MEETINGS: None since last report ISSUES: The COLAP is working on a conditional admission Model Rule which I have previously informed the LSD. This is an issue that the LSD needs to remain in contact with as it directly affects law students. PROJECTS: Completed one publication that is going into a larger printing. Was nominated as a member of the commission
Mental and Physical Disability Law Katie L. Pennell Widener University - Delaware - School of Law (Marlton, NJ)
	ENTITY MEETINGS: I have attended the Commission s fall meeting in Washington, D.C. as well as participated in several teleconferences throughout the year. I have been actively involved since my appointment in publicizing the Commission s National Conference on the Employment of Lawyer s with Disabilities. The conference was recently held in Washington, D.C., however I was unable to attend due to an academic obligation. DIVISION MEETINGS: I have been unable to attend specific circuit meetings, however, I have been supportive of the activities within my circuit. I was involved in the diversity day tool-kit updated by Nina Paul. I contributed activities related to furthering the awareness of disability issues within the legal community. PROJECTS: Throughout the year, I have been working on publicizing the National Conference on the Employment of Lawyer s with Disabilities to the law school community. I have circulated information about the conference to students routinely during the year and secured funding to further publicize the conference to different professional listservs. In addition, I wrote an article published in the Student Lawyer magazine in March describing the conference and its relevance to the law school community. This historic event is indicative of enormous strides made within the legal profession and will serve as a foundation of further progress that will benefit not only law students with disabilities, but the legal profession as a whole. The increased awareness that the conference provided will enrich the lives of all lawyers in our future profession. In addition, I have also been a proponent of the Commission s mentor program. This is a wonderful opportunity for law students with disabilities and legal practitioners to come together and share their experiences.
Racial and Ethnic Diversity Yaschar Sarparast Gonzaga University (Spokane, WA)

Substance Abuse Suzanne West Widener University School of Law-Delaware (Philadelphia, PA)

Unmet Legal Needs of Children Dallas F. Bauer Washburn University School of Law (Topeka, KS)

Women in the Profession Mary E. Chojnowski University of Akron School of Law (Slow , OH)

National Student Directors

Arbitration Competition Christina Marie Brewer The John Marshall Law School - Chicago (Chicago, IL)

Client Counseling Competition Robert J. Gallagher University of Richmond School of Law T.C. Williams School of Law (Richmond, VA)

Negotiation Competition Emmanuel J. Dockter Boston University School of Law (Boston, MA)

National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) Wai-Ying Chan New York Law School (Jackson Heights, NY)

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Programs *Melody D. Harden* University of Detroit Mercy School of Law (Detroit , MI)